“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember“

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I’ve just about managed to scrape together my Six for the week; possibly I’ve repeated at least one from last week, but I have to go with what I can find. We’ve had quite a few bouts of heavy rain the last few days, which has done no end of good to the garden but probably hasn’t found its way into the Jerusalem artichoke pots so I may be watering between showers later – just to stretch my legs after prolonged sitting at the computer now my OU course is open to view, though not to work.

It is quite warm this morning; though ominous clouds are gathering there are flashes of tempting sunshine and I can see a final raspberry ripening on the bush. (In fact two artichoke pots have just blown over and had to be rescued and tethered back in place – so I ate the raspberry while I was there.)

First up, a decent picture of the verbena bonariensis, or one flowerhead at least. Apologies that the cosmos etc is out of focus.

The fuchsia hedge along the back of Raised Bed A has really grown. I will cut this down once there are only a few flowers left. For now, the bees are still enjoying the last drops of nectar.

My sarracenia has spent summer outside on the sunny patio with very little attention other than to keep the saucer filled with water. I’ll leave it there until the first frost then put it in the Potting Shed to go dormant. It will still need some water, but doesn’t need to sit in it. Next spring, I’ll trim off the old pitchers, move it up a pot-size and replace the old lawn rakings with fresh (from my brother’s lawn).

White cosmos, delicate and ethereal in the shady part of the front border. Yes the wall is still collapsed (held up by all the bits of overhanging trees I’ve cut off and stuffed behind it). My neighbour says he’s booked two weeks holiday in October to repair it. Those trees need sorting out first or he’ll never fight his way in to do anything!

It’s this time of year when the Mexican Feather grass comes into its own. Other than the cosmos and the dead flower heads of the astilbe, it is the only thing of height in the border that runs across the front of the house. It sways happily on the lightest of breezes, but swoons miserably in heavy rain. It’s this time of year, too, when I daren’t brush against it as I don’t want to spend three hours pulling individual seeds off the sleeve of my fleece top. Thank goodness we don’t have a dog!

The recently (August) sealed lower patio in the heavy rain on Thursday afternoon. The water now sits on the surface until enough has gathered to run off towards the decking. Something to watch out for on cold winter days (black ice hazard). But it does make me wonder where it used to go – soak into the concrete beneath and the ground below? I don’t really need to know.

In other news:

There is a package waiting to be opened. I’m hoping it contains:

CodeItemPack QtyQty
16015Rudbeckia Rustic Dwarfs Mixed Flower Seeds4501
16366Marigold (French) Naughty Marietta Flower Seeds1501
13776Bean (Dwarf) Borlotto lingua di fucco nano Seeds1001

I’m still waiting for onions and garlic which are expected by 21/27 September.

Whatever you’re up to today, and whatever the weather throws at you, have a great weekend and, if you’ve a few several minutes spare, take a look at the other contributions to The Propagator’s wander through our gardens that is Six on Saturday.